


Out of Her Depth

by ATLPanther



Category: Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
Genre: Coming Out, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Girls Kissing, Kissing, Love Confessions, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-14 04:54:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20595038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ATLPanther/pseuds/ATLPanther
Summary: Dana has had increasingly strong feelings for Kelsey, feelings that she cannot fully contextualize. What do these feelings mean for their friendship? How could it impact the team? And, above all, what would her father think?





	Out of Her Depth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rivulet027](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/gifts).

Dana sat on her bed in the Aqua Base, smiling ruefully down at a book full of photographs. There was a picture of her pouting while sitting on a motorcycle in a black leather jacket, red t-shirt and jeans. There was another shot of her grinning in a sundress in a meadow. As she flipped the pages she couldn’t help but feel a pang of wistfulness. Her modeling career, which had ended as quickly as it had begun, had been a fun diversion from her work as the LightSpeed Rescue Pink Ranger. 

However, it was clear that modeling just would not be the best idea right now. Queen Bansheera’s violent activity was only escalating. Ryan’s continued research on how to stop her kept taking him away from the group, which added to her anxieties. Plus, it was difficult to keep Mariner Bay safe and the other LightSpeed Rescue Rangers upright and ready for battle. 

She sighed again and hoped that maybe she would have another opportunity some day after all of this was over. This sort of musing was not something the practical Dana would usually entertain, but it was a nice diversion from being constantly worried about when the next conflict with Bansheera would occur. She tore her eyes away from the scrapbook and looked at the medical tomes that should have been commanding her attention in this brief reprieve. 

She mentally chided herself. “Clinical Scenarios in Surgery, Differentiating Surgical Instruments, Palliative Medicine, that’s what I should be focused on right now. Modeling was fun, but this is over. I’ve gotta get ready for medical school.” 

Just at that moment Kelsey burst through the door of their room with her usual exuberance and wearing her ever-present rollerblades. Dana startled, and then tried to surreptitiously hide the modeling scrapbook under her pillow. It would be too difficult to explain why she was looking at it, especially considering that she had acted pretty selfishly during the incident and had actually fought with Kelsey during it. She hated fighting with Kelsey. Of all of the Rangers, she felt closest to Kelsey. Her laughter was infectious, she was always optimistic, and she made everything better by just being in the room. 

“Hi, Dana!” Kelsey brightly exclaimed. “Chad and I just went to the beach! I tried to teach him how to kickflip on rollerblades!”

“Do I need to head to the medical unit?” Dana replied with a smile of her own. 

“It wasn’t that bad, but good thing he was wearing a helmet!” Kelsey answered, and then sat down on her own bed to remove her rollerblades. 

Dana was relieved to see that it appeared that Kelsey hadn’t noticed the scrapbook. She had been relying on Kelsey’s friendship more and more over the past several months. Kelsey’s ready smile had been a godsend during all of the battles that they’d faced together. It was just a bonus that, in addition to having a great smile, Kelsey was also gorgeous. Sometimes it was hard not to stare at the slim brunette with the bright blue eyes. The tights she wore accentuated her lithe form and powerful legs. Dana forced herself to look away from Kelsey before she found herself obviously gawping at her. 

Briefly she wondered about Nancy, the pilot they’d saved a few weeks back. She’d overheard Nancy and Kelsey exchanging numbers after the spaceship was safely returned to Earth and was more than a bit curious as to how that had panned out. She also had to admit that she’d been slightly jealous for a reason she couldn’t quite explain. Kelsey was an amazing friend to her and was a textbook social butterfly. Why should it bother her that she’d made a new friend? Still, watching their interaction made her uneasy. She didn’t like to think about Kelsey out with someone else. 

Then her mind shot back, “Kelsey hangs out with Chad all the time. That doesn’t bother you!”

Weakly she mentally rejoined with “But that’s different!” 

It was very troubling for Dana that she couldn’t put her finger on exactly why she didn’t feel threatened by Kelsey’s very close friendship with Chad, but she did feel threatened by a burgeoning friendship that Kelsey might have with Nancy. Exactly how was it different? In both cases she felt like she was having to share Kelsey, but she felt that the potential friendship with Nancy might replace the special closeness she’d felt with Kelsey over their time together. 

Dana looked up at Kelsey again to find her looking back with a frown of concern. 

“Are you alright, Dana? You were a million miles away from me there.” 

Dana gasped in surprise. “Oh, me? No, everything is fine. Just had something on my mind.” She managed a small smile in an attempt to be reassuring. 

“I don’t believe that for a second.” Kelsey said, crossing her arms and looking even more concerned. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” 

“Of course, of course! But it’s really nothing.” Dana protested. 

“You’re not a very good liar, Dana.” Kelsey walked to the bed to sit next to her. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“I just have a few things on my mind. We obviously have a lot going on with everything that’s been happening the last few months.” Dana hoped this answer would satisfy Kelsey. 

Kelsey’s frown slackened up a bit as she replied “Alright. I guess I can’t force it out of you, but if you need anything please let me know.” It was clear she wasn’t completely satisfied with Dana’s answer. 

As Kelsey got up from the bed the pillow that had been covering up the scrapbook fell off the bed and landed on the floor, taking the scrapbook with it. Dana tried to jump up from her side of the bed to pick it up, but Kelsey raised a hand to stop her.  
Kelsey looked down at the scrapbook in silent confusion for what felt to Dana like forever, and then recognition spread across her face. 

“This is your modeling scrapbook, isn’t it? Is this what you were upset about?” Kelsey quietly asked. 

“No, no it’s nothing like that. I just felt like looking at the pictures is all.” Dana reached out to pick the book up from the floor, but Kelsey again stopped her to pick it up herself. 

Kelsey began paging through the pictures now. “I guess I never asked, but...what did you like about it?”

“Like about what?” Dana replied.

“Being a model. What was so great about it?” Kelsey pensively stared down at a picture of Dana on a picnic bench in a sundress. 

“I...well...it was fun to be fussed over. It was neat to have people treat you differently.” Dana began wringing her hands. “And it was also nice to feel...pretty. I’ve never had so many people tell me that before.” She blushed and looked down at her hands. “I know it’s silly, but it was a nice distraction from everything else going on.” 

Kelsey put the scrapbook on the bedside table before taking both of Dana’s hands in hers with her usual exuberance. She looked deeply into Dana’s eyes, transfixing her with a stare. “But that’s where you’re wrong. You’re not just pretty, Dana. You’re beautiful. I’ve always thought so.” 

It was in that exact moment that Dana understood why Kelsey’s relationship with Nancy bothered her and why she felt jealous. She didn’t want Kelsey to look at anyone else the way she was looking at her. It felt right to be this close and to hold her hands like this. Nothing else had ever felt this right. 

Kelsey gently pulled Dana closer and Dana wrapped her arms around Kelsey’s waist, resting her head on Kelsey’s shoulder. Dana took in her scent. She smelled like fresh air and her shampoo and it was heady and intoxicating to be this close. Kelsey was holding her close, gently rubbing her back. 

There were so many things Dana wanted to say right then, but she was also equally terrified of breaking the silence. She wrapped her arms around Kelsey a little tighter. Kelsey began stroking Dana’s blonde hair. Dana earnestly wished she could eternally capture this moment. 

Kelsey’s hand made its way to Dana’s cheek. Dana leaned into Kelsey’s touch. Looking up at her right then, Dana whispered “I think you’re beautiful too, Kelsey.”

Kelsey grinned down at her. “Really? Me?!” She exclaimed. 

“Of course!” Dana replied. “You mean a lot to me.” Feeling a bit bolder she added, “You take my breath away.” 

“Is that so?” Kelsey asked, and then she leaned in to gently kiss Dana’s lips. Dana’s earlier feeling of intoxication intensified. She kissed Kelsey back, tentatively at first and then gradually allowed her passion to take over. They held each other tightly, kissing each other feverishly. 

After what felt like a blissful eternity, Kelsey gently pushed Dana away, temporarily breaking their kiss. Dana, feeling bereft, looked at her in confusion. 

Grinning, Kelsey said, “If we’re going to continue like this, we should probably lock our door first. I’d hate to be interrupted.” With that, she happily raced to the door to ensure it was locked. Dana’s arms felt empty without Kelsey to hold. 

Dana laid down on her side to watch and wait for Kelsey to return. She knew she was only a few feet away, but it already felt like it had been way too long since they’d touched. Kelsey apparently felt the same because she made a running leap for the bed. She climbed on top of Dana and began kissing her again. Dana ran her hands up and down Kelsey’s hips. 

Kelsey began to escalate things by kissing Dana’s neck. Dana gasped and slipped her hands up the sides of Kelsey’s shirt. She marveled at Kelsey’s soft, smooth skin. Her hands roamed around Kelsey’s hips to her strong back. Internally she was surprised at her forwardness, but she had come too far to stop without explicit censure. 

Meanwhile, Kelsey was continuing to kiss Dana’s neck and had made her way to her earlobe. She gently pulled at it with her teeth, making Dana gasp and lightly scratch her back. Kelsey groaned in surprise, and then began kissing Dana’s lips again. 

Dana gently nibbled Kelsey’s bottom lip and Kelsey groaned again at Dana’s increasing boldness. She placed her hands on Dana’s chest, fingering the buttons on Dana’s pink shirt as they continued to kiss. Dana tugged on the bottom of Kelsey’s shirt. 

Taking that as an indication, Kelsey pulled away from Dana long enough to remove her shirt and toss it aside. She was wearing a black sports bra underneath which she also quickly removed. Dana took in the sight of Kelsey’s nude torso. All of the exercise (and fighting) was clearly evident in her physique. Her arms were toned and muscular, her stomach was taut and chiseled. Dana reached out to pull Kelsey close to her again, but she was rebuffed. 

“You’re overdressed” Kelsey purred, “and I’ve waited a long time to do this.” With that she began to slowly unbutton Dana’s shirt, kissing all of the exposed skin as each button was undone. Dana moaned and ran her hands through Kelsey’s curly dark hair. 

Kelsey leaned back to look down at Dana. Dana squirmed beneath her in a mixture of arousal and self-consciousness. Kelsey’s gaze was so intense and she looked at her for such a long time that Dana began to worry that Kelsey didn’t like what she saw. 

“Dana, you’re really gorgeous” Kelsey breathed before reaching down to unsnap the front of Dana’s white bra. She tossed aside Dana’s shirt and bra and pulled her close. They held each other, chest to chest for a few minutes. 

“Are you cold?” Dana asked. 

“No, why?” Kelsey laughed. 

“You’ve got goosebumps!” Dana replied, running her hands up and down Kelsey’s arms. 

“Gee, I wonder why that could be?” Kelsey grinned. “Could it have something to do with the ravishing blonde I’ve been making out with?” Dana blushed, which caused Kelsey to kiss her again. 

Feeling fortified by the kiss, Dana rolled on top of Kelsey and then reached out to stroke Kelsey’s nipples with her fingertips. Kelsey gasped in delight, which emboldened Dana to further kiss her neck while lightly tugging on her left nipple. She then alternated to the right nipple, gently stroking it before giving it a gentle tug. Kelsey groaned audibly louder. 

From this, Dana concluded that Kelsey’s right nipple might be more sensitive than her left. Dana decided to test this theory by gently twisting Kelsey’s left nipple. Kelsey gasped. Dana did the same to her right nipple and Kelsey moaned louder and grabbed Dana’s hips. 

Dana decided to verify this even further. She kissed her way down Kelsey’s neck, collarbone, and chest, slowly making her way to Kelsey’s breasts. She first took Kelsey’s left nipple into her mouth, gently suckling it. Kelsey pressed Dana’s head into her breast in delight. After a few minutes she turned her attention to the right nipple. 

“God that feels amazing,” Kelsey groaned. Dana smiled inwardly at confirming her theory, but was more focused on having Kelsey continue groaning like that. It sounded so sexy and it was addictive. 

“Please, Dana” moaned Kelsey “I need more.” Kelsey was squirming in delight beneath her. Dana briefly considered holding out and teasing Kelsey a bit more, but she was also extremely turned on and more than willing to oblige the request. 

Gripping the tops of Kelsey’s tights she gently pulled them down and tossed them aside to reveal Kelsey’s yellow boy shorts. There was a wet spot in the crotch, indicating her high level of arousal. Dana pulled them down and tossed them aside. Dana then slid her knee between Kelsey’s legs and pulled her into another deep kiss. 

As they continued kissing Dana began gently grinding her knee against Kelsey’s crotch. Kelsey moaned into Dana’s kiss and began tugging at Dana’s skirt. She fumbled a bit trying to find the zipper, so Dana gently guided her hand to its location. Kelsey eagerly unzipped the skirt and pulled it down. Then she slid her hand up Dana’s right leg to find her white cotton panties. 

As they continued their kiss, Kelsey lightly rubbed the crotch of Dana’s panties with her fingertips. Dana shuddered and moaned as Kelsey pulled the panties down. Now they were both naked, their hands roaming over each other’s bodies, transported far away from their room in the Aqua Base. 

Deciding that she could wait no longer, Dana slid her hand up Kelsey’s thigh and began exploring her pubic mound. The first thing Dana noticed was that Kelsey was soaked. Taking her thumb and index finger, she gently massaged Kelsey’s vulva for a few minutes. Kelsey squirmed a bit, but that squirming was further punctuated by gasps of delight when Dana gently probed her labia to begin massaging her clit with her thumb. Kelsey got progressively louder, and Dana began kissing her neck so that she could hear her delight. 

It just felt right for Dana to be touching Kelsey this way, and she knew she didn’t want to stop. As she continued rubbing Kelsey’s clit, Dana slid her index finger inside her pussy. Slowly at first, she pumped her finger in and out. 

Kelsey reached up to grab Dana’s shoulders. “Oh god this feels so good,” she breathed, grinding herself against Dana’s fingers. Dana leaned down to take Kelsey’s right nipple into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it as she continued fingering Kelsey. Kelsey moaned even louder, as she writhed against Dana’s fingers faster and faster. Her chest was heaving and her eyes were closed as she enjoyed the sensations. 

She pressed Dana’s face to her chest and said “If you don’t stop that I’m gonna cum”. Dana took that as a challenge and added another finger to the one already probing Kelsey’s depths. She began pumping her fingers in and out even faster, which quickly sent Kelsey over the edge and with only a pleasurable shudder as a warning, she gave herself over to a screaming orgasm. Dana stopping sucking on Kelsey’s nipple and lay her head on her chest. She kept her fingers inside Kelsey, enjoying the tightness and wetness of her pussy. 

After a few minutes Kelsey’s breathing returned to normal. She kissed Dana’s forehead and held her tightly for a moment before saying “Wow...That was intense.” 

Dana leaned up to find Kelsey’s lips. She kissed her gently for a few moments, before suddenly Kelsey rolled her hips to position Dana beneath her. 

“Now it’s my turn” Kelsey grinned before kissing her way down Dana’s lips, chin, neck, in between her breasts, her stomach, and finally landing at her very wet pussy. She probed Dana’s pussy with her tongue and began focusing on her clit. She placed her hands on Dana’s thighs as she began eating her pussy in earnest. 

Dana placed her hands on the back of Kelsey’s head and moaned. She knew she wouldn’t be able to last for very long, but she wanted to enjoy herself. Kelsey’s tongue was applying just the right amount of pressure to her clit and it felt amazing. Before she knew it Dana was humping Kelsey’s face and having her own screaming orgasm.

Kelsey lapped up Dana’s juices for a few more moments before tearing herself away from her place between Dana’s legs and laying beside her. They kissed again, holding each other, enjoying the afterglow. 

This feeling of contentment was fleeting for Dana. Ever the planner, her mind was covered in a deluge of thoughts. “Is it ok what we just did? Wouldn’t this change things? Did others need to know? Would this be the only time I can touch Kelsey like this? Could I live with that?” She pondered all of this, the practical realities were starting to overshadow the amazing experience she’d just had. 

“Earth to Dana. You ok?” Kelsey asked, concern darkening her face. 

“I’m fine...I was just thinking, I guess,” Dana replied, putting an arm around Kelsey’s waist. 

“That doesn’t sound good. Is something wrong?” Kelsey asked. Dana detected a guardedness in her voice, as though Kelsey were trying to protect herself from bad news. 

“No,” Dana quickly replied. “that was amazing. I guess I just..wondered if what we did was ok with you.” 

“Are you kidding? It was incredible!” Kelsey replied, obvious relief in her voice. 

Dana decided to press her luck. “That’s great to hear because I was hoping we could be together like this again.” 

Kelsey hugged Dana close to her and gave her a lingering kiss. Dana realized that Kelsey might have been having the same doubts about what they’d shared together, and she was equally relieved to know that this wouldn’t be the only time. 

Breaking off the kiss Kelsey said “Ok, so I have to ask you something because it’s gonna bug me if I don’t. Do I...need to worry about you and Carter?” 

At this Dana burst out laughing. She laughed long and loud. Every time she would think she was done laughing, she would repeat the question in her head and would begin anew. 

“Wait, what’s so funny?” Kelsey demanded. 

“Oh my god I’m so sorry” Dana choked out, wiping away tears of laughter. “Carter though? Really? Have you not seen him around my brother?” And then she began laughing again. 

“Hold on, are you saying Carter and Ryan are a couple?” Kelsey asked, a smile forming across her face. 

“Carter wishes! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught him in the hallway outside of Ryan’s room. I keep telling him to use his words, but he’s being stubborn, so no progress on that.” Dana explained, still giggling. “But that does give me a chance to ask you something. Do I need to worry about Nancy?” 

“Nancy?” Kelsey’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh no! We’re just friends.”

“But I heard you exchanging numbers! I thought she was really into you!” Dana exclaimed. 

“I mean, she did want to go out on a date, but I explained to her that there was someone I already really cared about, but that I didn’t know how she felt. I couldn’t get involved with anyone else until I knew for sure whether I had a chance with her.” Kelsey explained, taking Dana’s hand. 

“So what happened with the other girl, then? Did you find out what you needed to know?” Dana asked, lacing fingers with Kelsey. 

“I sure hope I did.” Kelsey replied, gently kissing Dana’s lips. 

Dana returned her kiss, but pulled away long enough to ask, “Wait a sec, who is this other girl then?”

Kelsey gazed at Dana, incredulous. “Uh...who is the girl I just had sex with?” 

“Me?!” Dana replied, genuinely surprised. “I never knew you felt that way.” 

“Well you know now, and I do,” Kelsey answered, firmly. 

Dana smiled into Kelsey’s eyes. “I have felt this way for a long time. Probably since the day we met.” 

And, with that, they kissed again and cuddled together until falling asleep in each other’s arms. 

***  
Several weeks later

A communication alert jarred Dana from her fitful sleep. Joel, who had been shaving, accidentally cut his cheek when it rang out. Chad immediately ran away from his surfboard to check his morpher. Kelsey cut short her morning rollerblading. Carter hopped up from his breakfast with Ryan. The alert summoned everyone to the AquaBase meeting room at 8:00 AM sharp. Everyone hurriedly made ready to be there, with Kelsey arriving last and almost knocking over a worker in her bladed haste.

“Does anyone know what this is about?” Kelsey asked, slumping into a seat next to Dana to remove her rollerblades.

“We were actually hoping you’d know,” Carter replied. 

At that moment Dana’s father, Captain Mitchell, strode in through the sliding door. The Rangers all hopped to attention. 

Captain Mitchell observed them briefly, then clasped his hands behind his back before saying “Rangers. I have a very important task for all of you.”

“What is it?” Carter asked. 

“I want all of you...to take a day off,” Captain Mitchell replied. 

Joel was the first to speak “Haha, that’s a good one, Cap!” 

“No, I’m serious. You’ve all been working really hard and you all deserve a break today. Dismissed!” 

The Rangers all looked at each other, stunned. Then, once the realization dawned on them that this was really happening, there were high fives and hugs all around. 

“Let’s go to the beach! Let’s meet back here in 20 minutes!” Dana suggested. Everyone else agreed and headed to their rooms to prepare. Dana and Kelsey made their way to their room to get ready. Kelsey glanced around for a few minutes to make sure the coast was clear before sidling up to Dana and taking her arm. 

“It was cool of your dad to give us the day off. I’m really excited to go to the beach with everyone.” Kelsey said, smiling brightly. 

“Yeah, it’s a great day to go to the beach. Weather looks perfect, and hopefully we can have fun today.” Dana replied, smiling into Kelsey’s eyes. 

Dana could tell that Kelsey was already bursting with her usual excitement. It was infectious. Dana couldn’t resist taking Kelsey’s hand in hers as they got into their room. As the door closed they briefly embraced each other. Dana felt the most relaxed at moments like these. She wasn’t in the AquaBase. She wasn’t a LightSpeed Rescue Pink Ranger. She was just with Kelsey, and that was the perfect place to be. 

She felt so deliciously light and free right then that she passionately kissed Kelsey, sliding her hands up Kelsey’s hips and pulling her close. Kelsey moaned in surprise, but eagerly returned Dana’s kiss, wrapping her arms around Dana’s neck. They continued to kiss, holding each other tightly. They probably would have continued to do so until there was a sharp knock on the door.

“Hey, girls! We’re just waiting on you two!” Ryan yelled. Dana and Kelsey broke the kiss, jared from their shared experience. Dana felt herself slowly coming back to Earth, but at least today she was not back to all of her responsibilities.

“Be there in a sec!” Kelsey replied to Ryan before reluctantly pulling away from Dana’s arms and going to her side of the room to gather her things. 

Dana turned away from Kelsey to do the same, but her mind still lingered on the kiss they had just shared. Over the last several weeks they had taken every opportunity to be intimate. It wasn’t just the (admittedly) mindblowing sex that Dana appreciated, but more that the friendship that she and Kelsey had already built had really deepend with this shared experience. 

It felt like such a release to have someone in which to confide. Kelsey was an excellent, empathetic listener. Dana had told her things she’d never told anyone about her life. They’d talked about what it was like growing up without a mother, what it was like in the immediate aftermath of Ryan being taken by Diabolico, how she tried to be the perfect student and citizen so that her father wouldn’t worry, and the whole time Kelsey had been there offering her gentle support. 

She would hold her when things got too difficult to talk about, would gently urge her on when Dana cut herself off because Kelsey had an innate sense of when Dana had more to say than she let on. Kelsey was always there to hold after a tough day fighting Bansheera’s monsters or a rough medical school practice test. Dana felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards Kelsey. 

Kelsey had equally revealed information about her past. She had come out at a young age, much to the disappointment and consternation of her family. Her parents had kicked her out pretty much immediately afterward. Due to the generosity of her grandmother she’d managed to finish school and find her own way in the world, but it hadn’t been easy. Operation LightSpeed had provided her life a specific purpose and direction it had previously lacked. Where she would usually allow herself to be taken in and distracted by flights of fancy, LightSpeed and Dana were a steadying force. Kelsey was equally grateful for Dana, but they did have one major disagreement. 

As their relationship continued to progress, Kelsey wanted things to be formalized and she also felt that the LightSpeed team (including Dana’s father) needed to know where things stood. Kelsey had lived her life openly to this point, so the thought of being closeted in any way was immensely frustrating. It felt like a step in the wrong direction, and she hated feeling like she was lying or hiding the truth.

Logically Dana absolutely agreed with Kelsey, but she was still scared of disappointing her father. Above all else, she didn’t want him to feel like a failure as a parent because she wasn’t straight. They’d debated and discussed this multiple times. Every time Dana had to concede that Kelsey had the right of it. Still, Dana hesitated, and Kelsey didn’t lay down any ultimatums, so they were at an (otherwise happy) impasse. 

“Maybe today would be a good day to take the first step?” Dana thought to herself as they finished packing up and joined the others. “This is a break in our routine, and it feels like as good a day as any to start to tell people what Kelsey means to me.” The group made their way to the LightSpeed Rescue Hummer with one notable exception. 

“Where’s Carter?” Kelsey asked, looking around. “Is he not coming?” 

“No” Chad replied. “He’s going to be training on his own.” 

“Figures!” Joel said, hopping into the driver’s seat. 

Dana caught Ryan’s eye at that moment. She briefly saw a disappointed look on his face. “Hopefully he’ll join us later.” Dana said to the others, but reached out to pat her brother’s shoulder. Ryan smiled back at her, temporarily buoyed. Dana noted that maybe Carter’s interest in Ryan wasn’t unrequited. 

“Ryan won’t care. He’ll be as supportive as ever,” Dana reassured herself internally. With that, the rest of the team sped off for a day on the beach. 

Dana was enjoying herself immensely, but the time never seemed quite right for her to say anything to everyone about what was going on between her and Kelsey. The magical moment never arrived. 

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, Bansheera sent her monster, Shockatron, to take out the Mariner Bay power plant. Carter and Captain Mitchell, who had been training together, were on the scene right as the monster struck. A massive fire broke out. Miss Fairweather sent an alert to the rest of the team on the beach to dispatch them immediately to provide further assistance. Captain Mitchell informed them that Shockatron was already on the move to another power facility and sent them on their way to stop him. The fire continued to rage, and Captain Mitchell stayed onsite to fight it and keep the citizens safe. 

En route to the power facility a group of Batlings blocked the road with a group of vehicles. This didn’t deter Carter. He used the blasters on his bike to clear the way so that they could get through. When they arrived at the Shockatron’s location they were immediately attacked by another group of Batlings. 

Clearing the Batlings up was one thing, but Shockatron himself was another. He was a formidable foe in his own right. Everyone had to use their V Lancers in order to even the odds, and he eventually did explode. Carter immediately ordered the team to go back to the location of the fire and Captain Mitchell. 

There was a group of small children touring the plant with their teacher when the monster attacked. Captain Mitchell managed to get all of them out of the building safely, but one of the children had gone back inside for her teddy bear. The team returned just as the rest of the kids were evacuated.

Carter pulled aside a nearby fireman to ask where Captain Mitchell was. The fireman informed him that Captain Mitchell was still inside trying to rescue the missing little girl. 

“He’ll need backup,” Carter said, making ready to head inside. 

“Don’t! It’s too dangerous! The building is about to blow!” cried the fireman, grabbing his arm. 

“I’ve gotta help him,” Carter said, tearing his arm away as the fireman yelled helplessly behind him. 

“Carter, be careful!” Dana yelled after him. She tried to keep herself calm by tending to the children and seeing if they’d suffered any injuries from smoke inhalation. She silently hoped that her father was alright. 

Captain Mitchell, meanwhile, had found the missing child and was beginning to guide her to safety. As they were heading outside, a pipe fell. Captain Mitchell managed to catch it and hold it up, allowing the girl to escape. Carter managed to find both of them in the nick of time to get her out of the building. Her teacher ran to collect her and get her back with the rest of the class. 

Dana immediately ran to both of them, relieved that the child seemed fine. “Where’s my dad?” she asked. 

“He’s still inside,'' Carter replied, pointing toward the still burning building. 

“It’s gonna blow! Get back,” screamed the fireman from earlier. 

And then, it did. A huge explosion rocked everyone within the 30 yard radius of the building. Firemen who had just managed to escape fell to their feet in its immediate aftermath. Captain Mithcell hadn’t reemerged. 

“No!” cried Dana, dropping to her knees. She’d already lost one parent. She couldn’t imagine losing another, and with so much she hadn’t yet had a chance to say to him about how much she loved him, how much being a LightSpeed Rescue had meant to her, and also how much she’d come to care for Kelsey. The thought of not having the opportunity to tell him was crushing. 

Just then, everyone looked up to see Captain Mithcell rappelling down the side of the building. Dana was the first to greet him. They didn’t have a chance to enjoy their relief because Shockatron had grown to a giant size and it was megazord battle time. They finally put him down for good with the LightSpeed Megazord Saber. Thus, Mariner Bay was safe once again. 

With that done, Dana, Kelsey, Chad, Joel, and Ryan headed back to the beach while Carter went to the Aqua Base with Captain Mitchell. As they were going back, Dana was pensive. Once again she was reminded at how ephemeral life could be. There was no perfect time to tell someone that you cared for them, that you loved them. The only perfect time was right now. 

Seeming to sense her pensiveness, Kelsey gently squeezed her hand and held it all the way there. That firmed her resolve to say something. As they arrived Dana was about to speak up, when Kelsey leapt from the Hummer to say that everyone should play catch with the frisbee. Dana wanted to argue, but decided against it. Everyone probably needed a mental break after the fight with Shockatron, so she complied. 

They began to play for about 30 minutes. It was Joel’s turn to catch the frisbee and he was running backwards, keeping his eye on it when it was intercepted by none other than Carter. 

Kelsey ran up to him. “Carter? What are you doing here?” she asked. 

“Well, it’s my day off, too!”, Carter replied. 

“Do you mean to tell us you’re here to have fun?”, Dana asked, incredulous smile on her face.

“Are you saying I don’t know how to have fun?”, Carter demanded in mock offense. 

“No”, Dana and Joel immediately replied. 

With that, Carter immediately got out a water gun and began chasing everyone. It was a great ending to the day. They hung out together on the beach until the sun set over the water. 

At this point it was decided that they should head back to the Aqua Base for the night. The group all set out for the Hummer. As they did so, Dana reached out to take Kelsey’s hand in front of everyone. 

“So, everyone…” Dana slowly began, already fumbling for what she wanted to say now that the moment had actually arrived. “I guess it’s time to let everyone know that Kelsey and I are dating,” she said flatly. “I hope that won’t be a problem,” she quickly rejoined. 

“You finally talked to her?” Chad teased Kelsey. “Way to go!” he came up beside her and put an arm around her shoulder. 

“I don’t think anybody will have a problem,” Joel replied with a smile. 

“As long as you’re happy, that’s the important thing,” Carter said. Ryan nodded and put an arm around Dana’s shoulder. 

“Thanks, guys!” Kelsey smiled brightly and kissed Dana’s cheek before they headed into the Hummer to go home. 

As they piled into the vehicle Ryan managed to quietly ask, “So does dad know?”

Dana shook her head ‘no’. “I hadn’t really found the right moment to tell him, but...I realized today that life it too short to wait for that. I just hope he’ll understand,” she replied. 

“I’m sure he will,” Ryan said. 

The Rangers rode all the way home chatting about the day’s events and talked about their hope that Captain Mithcell would make days off a regular occurrence. When they returned to the Aqua Base, Dana made directly for the captain’s quarters to see her father. 

She knocked on the door. He immediately called out for her to enter, so she went into the room. He had been patched up and was resting comfortably on his bed. 

“Hi, Dana,” he said with a smile. “Did you have fun on your day off?” 

“Yeah, Dad, it was great,” Dana said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “How is your shoulder?” 

“Ah, it stings a bit but Miss Fairweather says I should be right as rain in a few days,” he replied before studying Dana’s face. “Is there something on your mind?” 

“I...yeah, Dad,” Dana began, starting to wring her hands a bit. “There’s something I have to tell you.” 

“Go ahead, Dana. You know you can talk to me about anything,” he replied, concern evident on his face. 

“It...scared me a little today to know that I almost lost you. I guess it just helped me to realize that there’s stuff I haven’t had a chance to tell you,” Dana began. 

Captain Mitchell regarded her silently, so she continued. “You’ve always been a really amazing dad. You’ve always supported me and encouraged me and I don’t think I’d be the person I am today without you,” she said hurridly. 

“Raising you and Ryan has been the best challenge of my life,” Captain Mitchell replied with a smile. “I couldn’t ask for better kids.” 

“Thanks, Dad,” Dana said. She took a deep breath before continuing, “But there’s something else you need to know.” 

“Go on,” Captain Mitchell urged her. 

“I...I’m seeing someone,” Dana blurted out. 

“Oh!” Captain Mithcell said, surprised. “Do I know him?” 

“...Her,” Dana corrected him. 

“OH!”, Captain Mithcell exclaimed again, blinking. “Oh ok. Well, do I know her?” 

“It’s Kelsey,” Dana said, looking into her father’s eyes for his reaction. 

“Well, I won’t have to worry about my little girl being protected”, Captain Mitchell said with a smile. “Kelsey is an excellent choice.” 

“You think so?” Dana asked. “You’re not disappointed?” 

“Disappointed? No way!” Captain Mitchell replied, hugging her. “At the end of the day I’m so happy you found happiness with someone. And Kelsey is a fine Ranger and person. I have no objections whatsoever!” 

“Thanks, Dad!” Dana said hugging him again.

He returned her hug and said, “Alright, I’m gonna turn in. I’ll see you in the morning, ok?” 

“Nite, Dad!” Dana said, leaving for the room she shared with Kelsey. 

When she walked into the room, Kelsey immediately jumped off the bed to almost tackle Dana at the door. “What did he say?” she asked in breathless excitement. 

Dana grinned and pulled Kelsey close to her. “He has no objections and he’s happy I found someone who makes me happy,” she answered. 

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Kelsey grinned. “How does it feel to be out?”

Dana paused before answering. She hadn’t thought about it until that moment, but she had come out to the team and to her father and brother today. She’d initially thought of it as just telling them about her relationship with Kelsey. 

“It...feels good,” she answered after mulling it over. “I’m glad everyone knows that we’re together.” 

“Me too!” Kelsey said, pulling Dana into a kiss. 

“So what now?” Dana asked. 

“Well...we have to tell my grandmother at some point,” Kelsey replied thoughtfully. 

“Whenever you’re ready,” Dana replied, grinning. 

“I want the whole world to know what you mean to me,” Kelsey said, already enthusiastic about the idea. 

“You got it,” Dana replied, smiling before kissing Kelsey. 

Dana got the innate sense that things would work out just fine as long as she ended each day with Kelsey.


End file.
